The seeds have sprouted. -- Image by ImsoGabriel Stock from Pixabay
A Modern Retelling of "The Sower"
It was a typical cloudy and misty day in Seattle. The Fresh Grounds Coffee, on a Saturday morning, was bustling. Five friends gathered at their usual table by the window. Outside, they watched the people hustle by, glued to phones, rushing errands. Inside, the music played softly, people were chatting, steam rose from mugs, and the air smelled of cinnamon rolls.
Ethan, the quiet one, leaned forward. "This sounds kind of cool. My uncle started this mentoring program for kids in town. He says it's about planting seeds — not in the ground, but in people. When you plant a seed in a person, it is up to them to take care of it. They can grow a beautiful garden or let the weeds grow instead."
"I've been thinking about that a lot lately."
Ethan did not realize he had just planted a seed. One that may show the true colors of his friends.
The others, sipping their drinks, started to talk about this.
Mark, a sarcastic law student, scoffed. "Seeds? Whatever. Sounds like busywork. Those kids will not listen anyway." His attention was gone before the first sentence took root. He attempted to change the subject to last night's football scores before Ethan finished explaining.
The other three had something to say, too. They waited politely for Ethan to finish.
As Mark turned towards Jess, he knocked over his Americano with his lap being ground zero. The expletives flew out.
Things calmed down a bit, and Jess, a young entrepreneur, perked up. "That's cool! I would totally try this, or at a minimum volunteer to help him." She posted a photo of her latte with the caption: #GivingBack #MentorLife. But by the following week, she was buried in emails, meetings, and networking events. Her good intentions dried up faster than the foam on her Latte.
The straw that Jess was using got bent when Mark had his exceptional marksmanship moment of having his Americano land directly in his lap. It became difficult to suck the latte, she struggled on, anyway, not wanting to get a foam mustache.
Their friend, Kyle, is constantly checking his phone for stock updates and his cryptocurrency valuations, "Woohoo, the money is still coming in."
His commercial buildings kept things hopping. Often, he would take calls from his property management company, even while chatting with the gang.
He looked at Ethan, "That is a wonderful thing your uncle is doing, but right now I do not have the time to do something like that. Tell him to keep up the good work. I'll tell you what, if Bitcoin hits $500K, I'll sponsor the entire mentoring program… until then, count me out." He seriously wanted another double-shot, chocolate, caramel latte. Before he could get up, Lena, a nurse, started to speak.
She spoke softly. "I actually signed up. Two nights a week after my shifts. He talks often about how your mind is like a garden. You can send constant negative thoughts, growing weeds and thorn bushes, or you can cultivate it with positive thoughts, growing beautiful flowers and plants. He has discussed with us about having a definite purpose in life to build a better you. It's exhausting, but worth it. I somehow planted a seed in one of the kids; he wants to be a nurse now, too." She smiled, eyes tired but shining.
Mark was wondering if his pants had dried enough to get another Americano. Jess wanted a new straw. Kyle got up, told Mark he would get him another Americano and Lena a new straw. They went on with their visit.
Lena's face glowed brightly; she had found her place.
Ethan stirred his cup, thinking about this conversation. He was upset with the others returning to their usual morning conversation. Then he smiled as he realized someone had sown a seed in Lena. It grew into a beautiful plant.
While the others continued to discuss sports and things, Ethan pulled his chair over to Lena and asked, "May I join you at the meeting?"
"Of course, I would love to have you join me."
Ethan and Lena decided to leave. They could not get the attention of the other three, who were intensely focused on who was the better quarterback. Ethan and Lena, two freshly planted seeds heading in the same direction, looked at each other and, unexpectedly, said at the same time, "EXIT!!!... Stage right!"
Based on Matthew 13:1-9, 18-23
Synopsis:
In the parable of the Sower, Jesus tells how the same seed falls on different soils with very different results — ignored, shallow, choked, or fruitful. The meaning is clear: God's word reaches all kinds of people, but only those who hear and truly live it see growth. This modern retelling shows how the same opportunity hits differently depending on where the heart is.
Tap to read the actual bible passage:
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